COLUMBUS, Ohio – The University of Notre Dame hockey program bounced back Saturday to get the weekend split against Ohio State with a 5-2 victory over the Buckeyes. Landon Slaggert posted his fourth multi-goal game of the season while Grant Silianoff, Patrick Moynihan and Trevor Janicke added tallies in the contest for the victory.
The Irish jumped out to the 1-0 lead just 10:19 into play Saturday night when Hunter Strand won an offensive zone faceoff and the Irish blueliners got the puck deep to Grant Silianoff out front for the opening goal.
Landon Slaggert extended the Irish lead less than 90 seconds later with a redirect in front of the net to give Notre Dame the 2-0 lead at 11:42 of the opening frame.
The Buckeyes would even the tally late in the opening period to force the 2-2 tie heading into the first intermission.
The two teams traded chances early in the second period but it was the Irish who eventually reclaimed the lead when Cole Knuble found Patrick Moynihan for a one-timer on the doorstep for the 3-2 score.
Just under three minutes later, and with a Buckeye in the box for a slash, Slaggert net his second goal of the night with a spin move in front of the net that beat Kristoffer Eberly in the crease.
A late chance from Justin Janicke with less than 10 seconds to play in the frame nearly put the Irish up by three but the Buckeye netminder laid on the puck to freeze the play ahead of the intermission.
The Irish extended their lead at 8:16 of the final period after Brennan Ali forced a turnover along the deep boards and found Trevor Janicke in the slot for the 5-2 tally.
Notre Dame finished the night with 43 shots on goal while Ryan Bischel posted 30 saves for a .938 save percentage in the game two victory.
GOALS
- Hunter Strand positioned himself at the faceoff circle to the right of the Buckeye net, feeding the draw back to Drew Bavaro at the blueline. The senior defenseman sent a pass over to Paul Fischer who fired a shot towards net where Grant Silianoff deflected it over the glove of Eberly for the 1-0 lead.
- The Irish scored their second of the night off the opposite faceoff dot with Patrick Moynihan feeding a pass over to Henry Nelson across the blueline. The elder Nelson ripped a shot on net which was redirected five-hole by Landon Slaggert for his first of the night and the 2-0 lead.
- Moynihan reclaimed the Irish lead just over halfway through the second period with a one-timer off a pass from Cole Knuble. Knuble, who had taken a hit along the boards earlier in the period was on the ice for his first shift since the collision and drew Eberly off the Buckeye line to set Moynihan up. Zach Plucinski also tallied an assist on the goal, his second of the season.
- Slaggert scored his team-leading 15th of the season and second of the night on the powerplay at 15:42 of the second period to give the Irish the 4-2 lead. Hunter Strand and Moynihan were each credited with assists on the goal.
- Trevor Janicke opened the third period scoring at 8:16 of the final frame to give Notre Dame the 5-2 lead. His linemate Brennan Ali put on pressure deep behind the Buckeye net, forcing a turnover along the boards and feeding a pass up to Janicke racing through the slot for the team’s fifth goal of the night.
KEY STATS
- Three Irish skaters posted five shots on goal in game two of the contest, as Brennan Ali, Drew Bavaro and Danny Nelson each ripped five shots on net.
- At the faceoff dot the Irish went 44 of 79, led by Danny’s 17 draw wins on 26 attempts.
- Landon Slaggert’s two goals was his fourth multi-goal game of the year and puts him at 15 lamplighters on the season. His 15 goals thus far ranks fifth nationally.
UP NEXT
The Irish return home next weekend for a pair of games against Penn State, January 19-20, at Compton Family Ice Arena.